


A house on a hill in an empty land

by 202Dalmations



Category: Captain Marvel (2019), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/F, Post-Endgame, Slow Burn Romance, endgame spoilers, food as a sign of love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-11
Updated: 2019-05-14
Packaged: 2020-03-01 01:11:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18789988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/202Dalmations/pseuds/202Dalmations
Summary: After the defeat of Thanos, Carol finds herself a little directionless. Also, she keeps meeting Valkyrie.





	1. Chapter 1

It was complete chaos.

Amid the wounded, the dead, the returned and the giant battleships half buried in the dirt of the outer suburbs of New York, there was barely any time to take a spare breath, let alone have a spare thought.

That was the rhythm that Carol found herself running along in the days after Thanos’ demise. The spare minutes she did have, she spent sending messages off world, trying to communicate with the network of planetary systems that she’d once known. They all reported the same thing: their dead were back and walking amongst them.

Grief was still strong in the air, where ever you went. People might have gotten back their loved ones, but they’d been missing for five years too. That sort of sorrow didn’t go away, nor did the fear that the returned would turn back to dust, someday. Carol felt that herself— the people she knew and loved where all here, safe—Maria and Monica were fine, so was Fury—but she felt this inexplicable terror, that it could all be taken away again. 

 

Fury was back, older and more scarred than she remembered, but still the same Fury. He’d grinned at her when she first saw him, his one eye glinting.

“Made it in time, Danvers?” he said. 

Carol laughed, an exhausted, hollow laugh. There was still blood in her hair, and mud ingrained in her uniform, and she hadn’t slept in months. “Someone had to save your ass,” she said, before pulling him into a tight hug.

 

It was disorienting, to be back on Earth for so long. In the past five years, it’d just been in brief moments that she’d been here, moments loaded with guilt and just overwhelming… sadness. It’d been to painful, to stay there for too long. The Avengers, or what was left of them, had kept looking at her, like she was… something to them. A saviour, or something. Something that Carol wasn’t.

But now, it wasn’t so bad. Amongst the masses of returned people, and the new and expanded Avengers, it was easy to get lost. 

That was where she found herself, clearing debris from the land, and throwing it into space. The ships had been left as melted, charred wrecks, leaking rust coloured fluid into the ground. The previous Avengers’ Compound was in pieces as well—jagged concrete teeth that stuck out from the earth. It was a place of destruction, and the memories of death and battle were still strong here. 

It was good, to have some physical work to bury herself in. It kept her mind from wandering, from moving to the questions of what came next. 

“Hey Captain!” came a shout across the yard.

Carol turned, to see Rhodes giving her a wave. She waved back, and made her way over to where he was. They’d shared a few words, when she’d first arrived back on Earth five years ago, exchanged a couple of stories of being in the Air Force. He was a good man.

“Rhodes,” she acknowledged.

“Hey, what have I been telling you? It’s Rhodey, Carol.” Rhodey said. He was friendly enough, but Carol could that he was tired—deeply so. Stark had died only a few days ago. Most of the people here were mourning someone. 

“Rhodey,” she said with a smile. “What’s up?”

Rhodey pointed out to the furthest part of the field, where a large chunk of Chitauri ship lay embedded in the ground.  
“We wanted to get that big hunk of metal out of the ground, but figured it might be a job for you. You free?” he said. 

“As a bird,” Carol quipped. “I’ll take care of it.” 

 

As Carol flew over there, she could see it was a massive piece of the hull of the ship. Solid metal, caked in dirt and mud and… other things that she didn’t particularly want to think about. She came to the corner of one side, about a foot or so from the ground, and gave it an experimental tug. It came away from the earth easily enough, the underside of it covered in a thick layer of mud. It wouldn’t take too much effort to lift it up, and fling it into space. But something caught her eye, something glinting unnaturally against the grime and the dull black metal of the bottom of the ship. Brightly coloured metal, that shone even in the shade that the ship gave. 

Carol lifted the corner of the ship up higher, about at her head level, and squinted hard. What was that?

“Oh hey, that’s mine.” came a loud voice from Carol. 

Surprised, the edge of the ship slipped from Carol’s hands, and it slammed into the ground with a very loud thud. Mud splattered onto Carol’s boots, and Carol looked at them with a certain amount of disappointment. She’d just managed to get the last of the battle’s dirt and grime out of them. 

“Oh, sorry,” continued the voice, not sounding very sorry at all. In fact, they sounded pretty amused.

Carol turned, to see a woman standing a few meters from the ship. Carol recognised her as one of the Asgardians that had been in the battle. Carol had only briefly seen her on the field, but when someone rides a white flying horse, they tend to make an impression. Today, there was no horse, but she wore her white battle uniform tied at the waist, with a comfortable looking hoodie over the top. It was a strange look, but it still worked on her. 

“Uh, hey?” Carol said, a question hanging off the end of her tongue.

“It’s, uh, my spear. Under there,” said the woman pointing to the ground on which the ship piece lay. 

“Your spear?” Carol repeated. 

The woman nodded. “I dropped it. Been looking all over for it.” 

Carol nodded, mostly to herself. "Oh." she said.

The Asgardian woman tapped her foot impatiently. “So, could you…?” she mimed Carol lifting the hull piece. 

“Oh, yeah, sure, no problem.” Carol said, words coming out at rapid pace. 

She smoothed her hair back, and pushed at the corner of the piece. Again, it came up easily, and Carol watched as the Asgardian darted fluidly underneath the narrow crack to grab her spear. 

“Thanks,” she said, running a hand over her spear as she stood up again. It was a brilliant silver colour, and looked extremely sharp. 

“No worries,” Carol said, setting the weight down again. “I’m Carol. Carol Danvers.”

The woman nodded, before shifting the spear to one hand, and extending the other to Carol. “Valkyrie.”

Carol shook her hand, and looked at Valkyrie. Valkyrie seemed to be doing the same, but she was more… fixated on the left half of her face. Carol quirked an eyebrow at her in question. 

“You’ve… got something” Valkyrie pretended to wipe something off her own face, in a mirror image of Carol.

“Oh, thanks.” Carol said, wiping at the spot. Her glove came away with a thick streak of mud. She turned to Valkyrie again. “Better?”

Valkyrie grimaced, and shook her head. “Worse.”

Carol made another attempt, but then gave up. “It’s fine.”

Valkyrie hummed, as if she was on the tip of saying something, but then appeared to let it go.

“Good luck with that thing,” she said, nodding towards the ship’s broken hull, and beginning to step back. “Catch you around, Danvers.” 

Carol opened her mouth to say something, but she couldn’t think of anything to say. Within a minute, Valkyrie was a figure walking back to the broken remains of the Avengers’ Compound. Carol watched her go, her eyebrows drawn in an almost-frown, and an uncomfortable feeling left in her gut.

 

In the next few days, things slowed down to an excruciating pace. Funerals and mourning were not the sort of thing to pass quickly. Carol wished they did.  
Stark’s funeral was painful, in a way that Carol hadn’t expected. She’d barely known the man, except for a few choice interactions they’d had, but his funeral painted a picture of a man that would be sorely missed. A family. A team. A spouse. A kid. Actually, many kids, if the turn up was anything to go by. 

This drew an uncomfortable contrast to herself. If she’d been the one to take the hit, who would have turned up at her funeral? Fury, sure, and Monica and Maria, and maybe Maria’s wife. A few people from off-world, if they could make it to Earth. She didn’t have a lot of attachments, to Earth or otherwise. While she actively made the choices to follow this path, it was still a grim reminder of what she didn’t have. 

“You alright?” said Fury, after the funeral ended. 

Carol nodded. She and Fury watched the guests filter out from the service, back towards the house, where there was a wake being held. She wasn’t going to go, and she knew Fury wasn’t either. 

“You know, there’s a place for you on Earth, if you want it,” he said quietly. 

Carol looked at him.  
“Why?” she said. 

Fury quirked his head. “Well, it looks like you’re at loose ends. Earth could use a defender like you. Well, again.”

Carol snorted. “Looks like you’ve got it sorted.” She nodded towards the people walking through. “Seriously, it seems like you’ve got an oversupply.”

Fury chuckled. “That may be true.”

“I mean, you’re not wrong,” Carol sighed “Now that Thanos is dead… It just feels like the purpose I had is gone.”

“What, job all done? Time to go home?” Fury said.

Carol shrugged. “I guess.” 

Fury hummed, looking contemplative. “Well, if you decide where that is, let me know.”

He gave Carol a pat on the shoulder, before walking away. Carol stayed where she was, and looked up at the sky. It was beginning to get dark, and she could see the stars beginning to shine through. 

 

Turns out half the trees had vanished as well, with the snap. Half the plants, half the flowers, half the birds and the bees. Now, five years later, the land was awash in greenery and life again. Carol could see it, when she flew over the East Coast. It was a vivid stretch across the land, bright and fierce. 

On ground, the spread of flora and fauna was just as unrepentant. In Central Park, the trees were so thick in places, you could barely see through them.

Carol sat on a bench in the park, watching a bunch of birds flying around a tree full of flowers. What was a bunch of birds? A school? A murder?

Carol took an absentminded bite of her hotdog. 

After things was quieted down at the Avengers’ Compound, people had begun to file out slowly. People going home, back to families, back to a world that was finally normal. Apparently, Captain America had returned to the 1950s, which was… unexpected to say the least. This continued, until only a few people were left. Rhodey had caught her, just as he was leaving for somewhere in the Midwest.

“Thought you’d be in the stars by now, Carol.” he said, gesturing towards the sky.

Carol hummed indecisively. “I’ll be there soon enough. Things to do, people to see. All that schtick, y’know.”

Rhodey’s friend, Sam, pulled up next to the both of them. He had a large box in his hands, with the Captain’s shield balanced on the top. Or his shield, now, Carol supposed. The whole shield thing had become somewhat complicated. 

“You’re back to work already?” he asked, a friendly smile on his face. Carol liked Sam, for the short amount of time she’d known him. He was likeable, and extremely earnest. And also now Captain America.

Carol shrugged. “There’s always work to do.”

“If I were you, I’d take a break. Universe will keep turning without you.” Sam said, then lifted his eyebrows. “Or, I’m assuming it will?”

Carol chuckled. “It will. Not a bad idea either, Wilson.”

Rhodey laughed, and clapped a hand to Wilson’s shoulder. “Airforce gotta look after our own.”

 

So this led Carol to New York, a few days later. On break.

The only issue was, Carol had no idea how to be on break. The last time she’d had a moment to breathe was… decades ago. The moment she let her guard down, she started to feel… itchy and claustrophobic, and like a hundred eyes upon her. In New York, these were all probably very valid feelings, but it still felt like there was something wrong with her.

 

So, Carol was sitting quietly on a bench, eating a hotdog. Thinking about things, and looking at birds. 

“Danvers?”

Carol startled. In front of her, was Valkyrie. Out of any of the people Carol might have expected to see in New York, the Asgardian warrior was at the bottom of Carol’s list. 

“Valkyrie?” Carol said slowly. 

Valkyrie nodded, still looking rather surprised. “You’re in… New York?” she questioned.

“So… are you?” Carol said.

Valkyrie bit her lip, in a sign of quiet hesitation. “Yeah, I’m here to…” She looked quickly over her shoulder. “Anyway…” Carol waited for the sentence to have a conclusion, but none came. 

“Are you alright?” Carol asked, somewhat concerned, but mostly confused. 

Valkyrie let out a breath. “I’m fine. I just… was trying to find someone,” she said. “Figured they might be hanging around the city somewhere.”  
“No luck?” Carol said. 

Valkyrie shrugged. “Not yet. Maybe I’m looking in the wrong place.” She seemed lost for a moment, but came back to herself quickly, and looked over Carol.  
“Are you alright?” she asked.

“Um, yes?” Carol said, bemused. Then she remembered that she was eating a hotdog, alone on a park bench, in New York. “Oh, yes. I’m fine.”

Valkyrie snorted, but didn’t say anything more, moving to sit next to Carol. Today, she was wearing another hoodie, and a weird pair of leather pants, that looked to be of Asgardian origins. It was an odd look, but again, it suited her.

There was a quiet moment, where they both sat in silence. Carol ate the other half of her hotdog, and ignored the growing unease that she felt. The birds above her chirped in increasing pitch and frequency. What was a group of birds called again? A pod? A herd?

“Do you know what a group of birds is called?” Carol said, a little too loudly. Some of the birds near the park bench tittered and flew away.

Valkyrie looked at her. “Sorry?” she said incredulously.

Carol waved a hand. “A group of birds. There’s a word for it, right?”

Valkyrie continued to look at her, as If she was doubting Carol’s sanity. “Yeah, a group of birds. A group,” she said flatly.

Carol shook her head. “No, there’s a specific word for it. Like a pride of lions, or a colony of ants.” She was feeling increasingly ridiculous, yet still the word evaded her.

Valkyrie considered this for a moment before answering. “Um, like a flock? A flock of birds?”

“Yes!” Carol nodded her head in satisfaction. “It’s been on the tip of my tongue all day. A flock.”

Valkyrie was still looking at her. Carol suddenly felt a little self-conscious.

“Why are you in New York, Danvers?” she asked.

“Well, I’m on break, apparently,” Carol said.

“Apparently?” 

Carol nodded. “I would be on break, if I could remember how to actually take a break.” She chuckled dryly. “Good thing about having a genocidal purple man around, was that it always kept me busy.”

“I can understand that. I keep waiting for it to all to go to shit again,” Valkyrie said quietly. It sounded like a confession, coming from her. 

“Me too. It feels… weird for everything to be okay.” Carol said.

They lapsed into silence again, and watched the people walking in the park. There was a playground in a shady corner not too far away, and children ran around it, screaming and laughing. In all respects, it was a world that looked… restored. Peaceful.

It was easy to feel distinct from that. In the past few years, Carol had shaped herself into a thing that was sharp edges and fists, fighting for a purpose. But now the purpose was reached, where did this leave her?

“Are you hungry?” Valkyrie said abruptly. 

Carol nodded slowly. “I could eat.”

Valkyrie stood up. “A friend of mine recommended a burger place. Apparently, you can get a burger the size of your head.”

“Impressive.” Carol said. 

 

The burgers were the size of the average human head. They were also extremely good. Carol had two. So did Valkyrie.

“So,” Valkyrie said, with a mouthful of half-chewed fries in her mouth. “What’s the plan now, Danvers? Back to space?”

Carol shrugged, and took another bite of her burger. Being what she was tended to burn a lot of energy, and so she needed to eat a ridiculous number of calories to even it out. Energy packs and protein bars did the trick, but it was more fun to eat food that actually tasted good.

“I think I will. Even without Thanos, there’s always someone stirring up trouble.” Carol sighed. “I will miss Earth though.”

“You’re not coming back?” Valkyrie asked.

“I mean, yes. I don’t know how long it will be though. Could be a month, could be years,” she said, slightly uncomfortable at voicing it.

Valkyrie hummed. “Sounds lonely.”

From Valkyrie’s expression, she knew that kind of loneliness well. Carol cleared her throat and wiped her fingers on the napkin.

“And what about you? Back to New Asgard?” Carol said. 

Here Valkyrie’s expression changed, to the look of someone slightly hunted. She was silent for a long moment, long enough that Carol began to regret asking, before she spoke. 

“Thor abdicated, gave the throne to me a couple of days ago. So, I will return.”

Carol blinked, surprised. “So you’re… what, Queen of Asgard now?”

Valkyrie wrinkled her nose. “I’m not sure that the title of queen suits me. Ruler, maybe? Leader?” 

“Oh, wow.” Carol said. “Wait, should I be bowing to you, or something?”

Valkyrie laughed quietly. “Please don’t.” She quirked her lip. “It’s not a surprise or anything; I was unofficially leading the place for years. But now, it feels different… Permanent, I suppose.”

“Permanent’s a good thing, right?” Carol asked.

“Maybe. But the last couple thousand years, I didn’t have a lot of constants in my life. It’s strange, I guess.”

Carol nodded. She could understand that, even if it was decades in her case, and not millennia. 

 

The rest of their meal went quickly, as they both ate their burgers. Carol watched, a little in awe, as Valkyrie demolished her meal at a terrifying rate.  
Carol paid for the meal, and stood up to go. 

“You’re welcome to come by New Asgard, if you’re ever back on Earth.” Valkyrie said, as she pulled down the sleeves of her hoodie. 

Carol smiled, pleased. “Thanks Valkyrie, I appreciate it.”

“My friends call me Brunnhilde,” Valkyrie said, quirking the side of her mouth into a small smile. 

“Thanks, Brunnhilde.” Carol tried the name in her mouth. It felt strong, appropriate for the woman before her. 

As Carol watched Brunnhilde walk away, she thought about her own purpose. Maybe it wasn’t as clear as before, but she had to start somewhere, right?

 

Carol tilted her head, to look at the sky. It was the clear sky of a hot summer, baked into a brilliant blue. Beyond that, was the millions of miles that she would travel, the solar systems and planets that were out there. Out there, she could start looking.

It was time to go.


	2. Chapter 2

Earth came back into view as a tiny dot on the horizon, which grew, and grew, and grew, until Carol could hold it in the palm of her hand. It was a welcome sight, after almost six months.

She touched down over Louisiana, following the snaking lines of the river to where she wanted to be. The ground was wet and green, like it had just rained recently.  
Monica still lived in the same house, just a few miles away. With only a few changes, like the painted porch, and the shed out back looking structurally instable. Carol found herself grateful for that, both in that things hadn’t changed that drastically, and that the place that had once been her own home was still here.

“Carol!” Maria called out from the porch. In their last phone call, Carol had let Maria know that she was coming back. They talked almost monthly these days, even the data charges to Carol’s communication device were enough to make her wince. 

Carol smiled and waved furiously. “Hey Maria,” she said.

Maria had retired a couple of years ago from her job as a flight instructor at an airfield a few miles away. At the time, she’d complained to Carol that she would have too much time on her hands, and that she’d spend all her time annoying Monica, like her Mama had when she stopped working. But from the looks of things, she’d managed to invest her time in other things. There was a large vegetable patch out the back, flush with greenery and tall stakes driven into the ground, and Maria herself was looking healthy.

“And this is my baby,” Maria announced, whipping the tarp off a large shape in the shed. 

“Careful, Monica won’t like you talking like that,” Carol warned, grinning, as she stepped forward to inspect the old light aircraft. It was worn, and old, but it still had integrity, and like it had good bones underneath the rust and dust. Carol turned to Maria.

“Is this an old Cesna?” 

Maria nodded proudly, patting the wing of the aircraft. “Yep. ’74 original, if you can believe.”

Carol whistled low, impressed. She preferred faster planes, specifically the ones that broke the sound barrier, but this was a thing of beauty. She remembered admiring the shape of them in the air when she was in training.

“Where’d you find it?” she asked.

“Gina found it, at a dump out west. We had to use the truck to drag it out and bring it home.”

Gina was still working. She was a lawyer for a community legal centre, working three or four days a week. It was good, honest work, and Gina had told Carol once that she liked that she was able to do something good for the community. Carol really liked Gina, and the two of them got on well when she was in town. 

“Is Gina at work today?” she asked Maria, as she kicked off her boots to come inside the house. 

Maria shook her head. “Nah, she’s just gone into town to get some food for dinner. Spaghetti and meatballs, if that’s alright?”

“That’s fine.” Carol said, stepping inside. Inside, it was still largely the same that it had been almost 30 years previous. It was a welcome sight. On the walls, some new photo frames were hung up, and Carol stepped closer to inspect them.

“Oh hey! We finally got the wedding photos put in good frames. Check them out!” Maria called, watching Carol from the kitchen.

The first photo was indeed of Maria and Gina’s wedding. Carol remembered that day well, even though it was almost ten years ago. She also remembered the frantic call that Maria had made to Carol after she’d proposed to Gina. The call had come over her emergency line, and Carol had answered it immediately, the worst on her mind. But it was happier news that greeted her. 

\-------

“They’ve legalised gay marriage, Carol.” 

Carol remembered gaping like a fish. “In Louisiana?”

“No, the entire country. Every state.”

“Oh, shit.” Carol had said, really unable to say anything else. The memories of homophobia in the military, in a small southern state, in her own biological family, were incompatible with what she was hearing. 

“I proposed to Gina as soon as we got the news. We’re getting married, Carol.” Maria said, her voice tremulous even though the terrible reception.

“Oh, Maria.” Carol said softly, smiling through the welling emotion in her eyes.

“It’ll be in a month. We’re gonna rush the thing, in case they try and back out of it. You’ll be there, right?” 

Carol laughed gently. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.

\-----------

The photo was of them all, standing outside the church in Jackson. Gina and Maria stood together, beaming, and Monica and Carol were on either side of them.  
Even though it was only ten years ago, it felt like half a lifetime separated then and now. So much had happened in those years. 

Carol swallowed heavily, and stepped down the hallway. The next photo was of Monica with her bachelor’s degree. She’d accumulated a few more degrees since then—a master’s and a PhD most recently, but this was Carol’s favourite photo. Monica had been so proud to graduate, so eager to get a photo with her mom.

“Is Monica coming tonight?” Carol asked down the hallway.

But before Maria could answer, the swing of the front door caught Carol by surprise, and she turned to see Gina, with a paper bag held to her side.

“Yes, but she’ll be a little late apparently. She’s teaching a class until 6 today.” Gina said. She gave Carol a one-armed hug. “Hey Carol. Good to see you. How’s space?”

Carol snorted. “Space is fine. Good to see you too, Gina.”

Dinner was overwhelming, in a way that Carol was familiar with. After months of travelling, she’d grown used to a routine that didn’t really involve much talking, or socialising, or being around other people. For other people, that may have been lonely, but Carol was used to it at this point. 

But now, back with three of the people that Carol loved most, all talking at her, and chattering, it was overwhelming, but in a good way. 

Monica was talking about her latest boyfriend, a nurse at the Jackson Hospital. Unlike her mother, Monica showed no wish to settle down, and was happy dating men and women as she pleased. After, Maria turned to Carol.

“And what about you, Carol. Anyone we should know about?”

Carol shook her head, and laughed. “No, no one. Sorry guys.”

“What about Scarlett Witch?” Monica asked. “She’s like, crazy hot.”

Carol shot Monica a sharp look, which Monica ignored. “Firstly, I met her for like a day, six months ago! Secondly, I think she’s straight.”

Gina hummed in agreeance. “I agree. She definitely gives off a straight girl vibe. Don’t get hung up on her, Carol.”

Carol scoffed incredulously. “There’s nothing to get hung up on!” To avoid answering any more questions about her love life, she shoved a meatball into her mouth, and began chewing furiously. 

Maria, obviously the most mature out of them all, cleared her throat. “So you haven’t seen any of the Avengers since… then?”

Carol shook her head, and then hesitated. “Eshept fa Brnhilla” she said around a mouthful of food.

“Excuse me?” Maria said, an eyebrow raised high. In that moment, she was a perfect picture of her Mama. Mama had enforced manners at the table with a strict, but loving hand. Carol swallowed guiltily. 

“Except for Valkyrie,” she said, enunciating her words painfully.

Monica frowned. “As in, Valkyrie, the hot warrior queen of New Asgard?”

Carol nodded. “I met her in New York, just before I left again. She’s nice. Invited me to come visit New Asgard.”

“Huh,” Monica said, looking contemplative. “That’d be cool. If you do, could you get some samples of Asgardian metal for me? I’ve been itching to get my hands on some of that stuff for ages.”

Thankfully, the topic of Carol’s love life was dropped in favour of Monica’s new research topic. Carol felt a strong sense of relief at this but couldn’t help feeling like something was sticking into her, like something she’d forgotten. 

After dinner, Carol cleaned up, despite Gina and Maria’s protests.

“You guys made dinner,” she said, turning on the tap, and squeezing out the dishwashing liquid. “It’s only fair.”

Maria huffed out a laugh. “Who’s saying that I was going to clean up? I was going to make Monica do it.” 

Monica gasped indignantly. “Mama, you can’t _make_ me do anything! I’m an adult! I live in a house, which I paid for!”

Maria just laughed at that, patting Gina’s knee as they sat together on the couch. Together, they cut a very domestic picture. It made Carol inordinately happy to see them like that, but it was a complicated sort of happy, one that ached in her stomach.

Just as she had almost finished the dishes, Maria stood up from the couch, and nodded to Gina.

“Gina, would you show Monica the photos you found in the attic? She might want to keep them.” 

“But Ma-” Maria gave Monica a sharp look, loaded with meaning that Carol didn’t quite understand. 

Monica sniffed, and followed Gina up the stairs. As the clumping sound of their footsteps faded, Maria walked up to Carol so that they were side by side at the kitchen bench.  
“I’ll dry.” Maria said, grabbing a tea towel.

Carol set down a clean plate for Maria, and picked up another one. “What’s up?” she said. 

Maria didn’t answer for a moment, carefully wiping both sides of the cleaned plate, before putting it away.  
“I just- I’m worried about you, Carol,” she said quietly. 

Carol shot an alarmed look at Maria. “Worried? Why?” she asked. 

“Well, are you okay? Like, actually okay?” Maria asked. 

“Of course I’m fine! I’m-”. She wilted a little under Maria’s knowing look. “I’m okay, really. It’s just, I guess I’m having some trouble getting back into the rhythm of things. After Thanos and all that.”

Maria quirked her lip. “I can understand that Carol. I just don’t want to you feel like you have to face this on your own, y’know.”

Carol smiled tightly. “I know.”

“And other people as well. Like that Valkyrie woman, right? You should go to New Asgard, if she invited you.”

“Valkyrie? Why?”

Maria shrugged. “We’ll always be your family, and we’ll always love you, Carol. But you deserve to share a connection with someone, something like what Gina and I have.”

“I think what you and Gina have is pretty one of a kind.” Carol deflected, trying not to show her alarm. Why was her love life, or lack of, the conversation of tonight?

Maria chuckled. “Ain’t that the truth. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to have some more friends, right?”

Carol acted surprised. “Are you saying that I need more than three friends?”

“Maybe, Danvers. Just try it, for me?” 

Carol nodded reluctantly. “Thanks, Maria.”

Maria smiled, and clapped Carol on the shoulder. “That’s what family’s for. Us- oh, there’s a word that Monica taught me the other day.” Maria turned towards the stairs to the attic. “Monica! What was that word you taught me the other day?” 

“Women-loving-women, Mama. Jesus, no need to yell,” Monica said, coming out from behind the door. With her, came Gina, looking unrepentant. 

“Sorry, we got bored upstairs. We agree, Carol. You need to get a girlfriend, or some more friends.”

“Or a cat, at least.” Monica chimed in.

“Oh, thanks guys” Carol said sarcastically. 

“That’s it,” Maria clicked her fingers. “Women-loving-women. Us women-loving-women have to stick together, Danvers.” 

Carol laughed hard, despite herself. 

 

The next days passed without as much drama, and soon Carol found herself walking away from Maria’s house, a battered duffel bag slung over her shoulder.

“Remember to call, Carol.” Maria ordered, as they parted ways. 

Carol nodded seriously and flicked a pair of sunglasses over her eyes. Monica had given her a pair, for the purposes of ‘blending in’. Carol was just wearing them because she looked cool.

“I’ll see you soon, Maria.” She said, before taking off into the morning sky. 

While they hadn’t discussed it any further, the issues that Maria had brought up, continued to replay in Carol’s head. Maria always knew what was going on, even before Carol did. 

The thing was, Carol had never been scared of being alone. There was strength in it, she’d found. Sure, she had a family back on Earth, but having a purpose was enough to keep her going out in the months and years that she was alone. Now that part of her life, which she’d filled with space and purpose and righteousness, felt… empty. Maybe Maria was right. Maybe Carol needed more people in her life.

Coming back to herself, Carol realised she was at the edge of the atmosphere, hovering just at where the sky began to blacken into space. Earth was below her, stretched out. 

 

Directionless wasn’t a good look on Carol. She straightened up, looking down over Northern Europe. Maybe she just needed to start somewhere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short one! Next chapter should be up next week. Have a good one!

**Author's Note:**

> So this came quickly after I watched Endgame. It was.... a movie.... but the saving graces were Carol's dyke haircut, and 5 seconds of Valkyrie on that horse. Anyway, I wrote the whole thing while listening to sad Kate Bush songs. Next chapter should be up in a week.


End file.
